Announcement

**Udog** · 03-19-2017, 08:36 AM

Armadillo: Sunday's six-pack

— Ole Miss won their NIT game at Syracuse, 85-80.

— North Carolina PG Joel Berry (ankle) is questionable for UNC today against Arkansas.

— Lebron James had to “rest” last night; looked like he was drinking coffee on the Cavs’ bench.

— Arizona Cardinals lost six defensive players from LY to free agency; those six guys played a total of 4,657 snaps LY. Not good.

— Americans beat Dominican Republic 6-3 to move on the semi-finals of the WBC in Dodger Stadium this coming week. Adam Jones made a great catch in CF, robbing his Oriole teammate Manny Machado of a home run. Great catch.

— RIP Chuck Berry, a great musician who passed away this weekend at age 90.

**********

Armadillo: Sunday's List of 13: Wrapping up a basketball Saturday…….

13) Wisconsin 65, Villanova 62— Wildcats won national title LY, but since 2010, they’re now 1-4 in 2nd round games- they were favored by 4.5-4.5-9.5-5.5 points in the losses. Wisconsin has a lot of big-game experience- they were down 57-50 in this game, finished strong- they shot 64.5% inside arc, surviving 7-16 shooting on foul line.

12) West Virginia 83, Notre Dame 71— Mountaineers put relentless pressure on you and it tires teams out. West Virginia was 8-14 on arc, which doesn’t happen much (first time since Dec 10 they made more than half their 3’s)- when they shoot well, they can pressure the ball more and then they’re very hard to beat.

Notre Dame took 28 3-pointers, 26 2-pointers in this game, not usually a winning formula.

11) Gonzaga 79, Northwestern 73— I’m glad Zags won, but this game clearly swung on a blown goaltending call the refs missed, when Wildcats were making huge run, after trailing by 20 at one point. Collins got T’d up because of the missed call, which happened with 4:57 left and Gonzaga up by 5— goaltending would’ve made it a 3-point game.

Gonzaga moves on; Northwestern goes home after a historic season for them, making NCAA’s for first time. A Big 14 school near Chicago should never have been this bad for so long, but now Evanston should become a more fashionable destination for good players.

10) Xavier 91, Florida State 66— I think Steve Lavin is a great game analyst, so fun to listen to, much better than in studio, where he can only say so much. Lavin was at his best in this game with Ian Eagle, throwing in movie/pop culture references. Good stuff.

As for the game, Chris Mack can really coach; he is playing with a freshman backup PG (who has no backup), yet his team won this game easily, leading by 10 at the half. Disappointing end to the season for FSU, a young team that often struggled away from home.

9) Butler 74, Middle Tennessee 65— Three of Blue Raiders’ starters didn’t score, which makes it hard to win- their leading scorer Potts was averaging 15.6 pts/game- he didn’t score, but this was still a 5-point game late. Last four years, 12-seeds are 1-5 vs spread in second round when facing a 4-seed. Butler gets monkey off its back; they lost in second round last two years.

8) Arizona 69, St Mary’s 60— Gaels led 30-29 at the half, but superior athleticism took over in the second half as Arizona wore St Mary’s down and pulled away late. Sean Miller faces his old team Xavier in the next round out in San Jose.

7) Florida 65, Virginia 39— Horrendous exhibition by the Cavaliers, shooting 1-15 on the arc in a non-competitive performance. Florida won/covered its last five second round games, though they did miss tournament the last two years. This was just an awful game.

6) Purdue 80, Iowa State 76— Cyclones were incredibly bad for the first 22:00, then they made an epic comeback, rallying back from 19 down to take a 73-71 lead, but Purdue won this game in the last 3:00 and moves on and will play the Kansas-Michigan State winner in Kansas City. Cyclones were 7-23 on arc, their worst mark in any game since Jan 21st.

5) When John Chaney was coaching at Temple, it basically became expected that once a player got his second foul in the first half, he was done until the second half. Now all of a sudden this year, some TV people are criticizing that strategy, including some guys who coached against Chaney and did it themselves when they coached.

4) Brad Underwood bolts Oklahoma State after one year for Illinois; apparently the AD at OSU told Underwood he would re-negotiate his contract if the Cowboys won, which they did. But then the AD reneged on his word and Underwood bolted, quickly.

The term “carpet-bagger” comes to mind, but Underwood gets a huge pay upgrade for going to Illinois, and this is a capitalist society, so good for him.

This, by the way, is why some college players get annoyed— coaches jump ship for big bucks, while kids get in trouble with the NCAA for taking extra benefits. It is called “how the real world works”, but I can also see their point.

3) Since 1987, Villanova is 16th 1-seed to lose in 2nd round; of previous 15 teams to upset the 1-seed, those teams went 8-7 SU in regional semi-finals, 1-2 vs spread as a favorite, 7-5 as the underdog. Surprisingly, North Carolina has twice upset a 1-seed in 2nd round, in ’90 and 2000.

2) Looking at the eight teams who pulled those 2nd round upsets, then won again in regional semis, they went 5-3 SU if they got to the regional final- they were underdog in four of five wins.

1— Since 2001, Florida (’07) is only defending national champ that made it to a regional final the next year- they won back/back titles, in ’06/‘07. Villanova’s loss drops defending champs to 8-2 in last ten second round games (since ’01).

**Udog** · 03-19-2017, 08:39 AM

NCAAB
Dunkel

Sunday, March 19

Belmont @ Georgia Tech

Game 741-742
March 19, 2017 @ 12:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Belmont
63.100
Georgia Tech
63.897
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Georgia Tech
by 1
132
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Georgia Tech
by 4
137 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Belmont
(+4); Under

TCU @ Iowa

Game 735-736
March 19, 2017 @ 5:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
TCU
64.082
Iowa
69.168
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Iowa
by 5
158
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Iowa
by 1 1/2
152 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Iowa
(-1 1/2); Over

Oakland @ Richmond

Game 733-734
March 19, 2017 @ 7:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Oakland
60.024
Richmond
68.127
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Richmond
by 8
166
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Richmond
by 4
161
Dunkel Pick:
Richmond
(-4); Over

Cincinnati @ UCLA

Game 731-732
March 19, 2017 @ 9:40 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Cincinnati
72.463
UCLA
70.567
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Cincinnati
by 2
146
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
UCLA
by 4 1/2
154
Dunkel Pick:
Cincinnati
(+4 1/2); Under

Rhode Island @ Oregon

Game 729-730
March 19, 2017 @ 7:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Rhode Island
72.239
Oregon
70.322
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Rhode Island
by 2
147
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Oregon
by 5 1/2
140 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Rhode Island
(+5 1/2); Over

Michigan State @ Kansas

Game 727-728
March 19, 2017 @ 5:15 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Michigan State
65.618
Kansas
75.482
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Kansas
by 10
155
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Kansas
by 8
147 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Kansas
(-8); Over

USC @ Baylor

Game 725-726
March 19, 2017 @ 7:45 pm

Dunkel Rating:
USC
63.207
Baylor
73.851
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Baylor
by 10 1/2
137
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Baylor
by 6 1/2
143 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Baylor
(-6 1/2); Under

Wichita State @ Kentucky

Game 723-724
March 19, 2017 @ 2:40 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Wichita State
75.830
Kentucky
73.878
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Wichita State
by 2
157
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Kentucky
by 4 1/2
151 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Wichita State
(+4 1/2); Over

Michigan @ Louisville

Game 721-722
March 19, 2017 @ 12:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Michigan
75.687
Louisville
72.912
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Michigan
by 3
134
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Louisville
by 4
143 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Michigan
(+4); Under

South Carolina @ Duke

Game 719-720
March 19, 2017 @ 8:40 pm

Dunkel Rating:
South Carolina
68.387
Duke
78.699
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Duke
by 10 1/2
138
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Duke
by 7 1/2
142 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Duke
(-7 1/2); Under

Arkansas @ North Carolina

Game 717-718
March 19, 2017 @ 6:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Arkansas
64.385
North Carolina
79.618
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
North Carolina
by 15
166
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
North Carolina
by 10 1/2
162
Dunkel Pick:
North Carolina
(-10 1/2); Over

**Udog** · 03-19-2017, 08:42 AM

NCAAB
Long Sheet

Sunday, March 19

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ARKANSAS (26 - 9) vs. N CAROLINA (28 - 7) - 3/19/2017, 6:10 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ARKANSAS is 90-134 ATS (-57.4 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.
ARKANSAS is 61-90 ATS (-38.0 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games since 1997.
ARKANSAS is 30-48 ATS (-22.8 Units) in road games versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game since 1997.
N CAROLINA is 292-239 ATS (+29.1 Units) as a favorite since 1997.
N CAROLINA is 9-2 ATS (+6.8 Units) in March games over the last 2 seasons.
N CAROLINA is 164-129 ATS (+22.1 Units) in non-conference games since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
N CAROLINA is 1-0 against the spread versus ARKANSAS over the last 3 seasons
N CAROLINA is 1-0 straight up against ARKANSAS over the last 3 seasons
1 of 1 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

S CAROLINA (23 - 10) vs. DUKE (28 - 8) - 3/19/2017, 8:40 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DUKE is 203-149 ATS (+39.1 Units) after scoring 80 points or more since 1997.
S CAROLINA is 19-9 ATS (+9.1 Units) when the total is 140 to 149.5 over the last 2 seasons.
S CAROLINA is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) in road games after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.
S CAROLINA is 21-10 ATS (+10.0 Units) in non-conference games over the last 3 seasons.
S CAROLINA is 29-15 ATS (+12.5 Units) in road games after scoring 80 points or more since 1997.
S CAROLINA is 39-23 ATS (+13.7 Units) in road games versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game after 15+ games since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

MICHIGAN (25 - 11) vs. LOUISVILLE (25 - 8) - 3/19/2017, 12:10 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LOUISVILLE is 15-6 ATS (+8.4 Units) in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.
LOUISVILLE is 4-12 ATS (-9.2 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

WICHITA ST (31 - 4) vs. KENTUCKY (30 - 5) - 3/19/2017, 2:40 PM
Top Trends for this game.
KENTUCKY is 85-59 ATS (+20.1 Units) in March games since 1997.
WICHITA ST is 39-25 ATS (+11.5 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
WICHITA ST is 39-25 ATS (+11.5 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
WICHITA ST is 81-55 ATS (+20.5 Units) in road games after allowing 60 points or less since 1997.
WICHITA ST is 25-10 ATS (+14.0 Units) in road games versus good offensive teams - scoring 77+ points/game since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

USC (26 - 9) vs. BAYLOR (26 - 7) - 3/19/2017, 7:45 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BAYLOR is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) after a non-conference game this season.
USC is 54-34 ATS (+16.6 Units) in March games since 1997.
USC is 19-9 ATS (+9.1 Units) in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

MICHIGAN ST (20 - 14) vs. KANSAS (29 - 4) - 3/19/2017, 12:10 PM
Top Trends for this game.
KANSAS is 17-6 ATS (+10.4 Units) in road games after scoring 80 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS is 23-12 ATS (+9.8 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
MICHIGAN ST is 40-27 ATS (+10.3 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
MICHIGAN ST is 40-27 ATS (+10.3 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
MICHIGAN ST is 85-56 ATS (+23.4 Units) when the total is 140 to 149.5 since 1997.
MICHIGAN ST is 32-20 ATS (+10.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
KANSAS is 1-1 against the spread versus MICHIGAN ST over the last 3 seasons
KANSAS is 1-1 straight up against MICHIGAN ST over the last 3 seasons
2 of 2 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

RHODE ISLAND (25 - 9) vs. OREGON (30 - 5) - 3/19/2017, 7:10 PM
Top Trends for this game.
OREGON is 20-12 ATS (+6.8 Units) in all games this season.
OREGON is 20-12 ATS (+6.8 Units) in all lined games this season.
OREGON is 34-23 ATS (+8.7 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
OREGON is 15-6 ATS (+8.4 Units) in March games over the last 3 seasons.
OREGON is 12-4 ATS (+7.6 Units) after scoring 80 points or more this season.
OREGON is 15-8 ATS (+6.2 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
OREGON is 22-10 ATS (+11.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CINCINNATI (30 - 5) vs. UCLA (30 - 4) - 3/19/2017, 9:40 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CINCINNATI is 111-154 ATS (-58.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games since 1997.
UCLA is 27-39 ATS (-15.9 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
UCLA is 27-39 ATS (-15.9 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
UCLA is 19-32 ATS (-16.2 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
UCLA is 3-11 ATS (-9.1 Units) in road games after allowing 80 points or more over the last 3 seasons.
UCLA is 17-29 ATS (-14.9 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
UCLA is 8-19 ATS (-12.9 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

OAKLAND (25 - 8) at RICHMOND (21 - 12) - 3/19/2017, 7:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
OAKLAND is 37-20 ATS (+15.0 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 37-20 ATS (+15.0 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 12-3 ATS (+8.7 Units) as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 19-6 ATS (+12.4 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 19-6 ATS (+12.4 Units) in road lined games over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 12-3 ATS (+8.7 Units) in a road game where the total is 160 to 169.5 since 1997.
OAKLAND is 23-11 ATS (+10.9 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 3 seasons.
OAKLAND is 16-6 ATS (+9.4 Units) in road games in non-conference games over the last 3 seasons.
OAKLAND is 26-10 ATS (+15.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 15-6 ATS (+8.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games over the last 2 seasons.
RICHMOND is 3-11 ATS (-9.1 Units) in home games after a non-conference game over the last 3 seasons.
RICHMOND is 3-11 ATS (-9.1 Units) in home games in non-conference games over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

TCU (20 - 15) at IOWA (19 - 14) - 3/19/2017, 5:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TCU is 236-285 ATS (-77.5 Units) in all games since 1997.
TCU is 236-285 ATS (-77.5 Units) in all lined games since 1997.
TCU is 6-16 ATS (-11.6 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
TCU is 6-16 ATS (-11.6 Units) in road lined games over the last 2 seasons.
TCU is 161-219 ATS (-79.9 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.
TCU is 4-12 ATS (-9.2 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games this season.
IOWA is 3-12 ATS (-10.2 Units) in all tournament games over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Udog** · 03-19-2017, 08:44 AM

NCAAB
Short Sheet

Sunday, March 19

Arkansas at North Carolina, 6:10 PM ET
Arkansas: 32-54 ATS after a win by 6 points or less
N Carolina: 11-1 ATS after a combined score of 165 points or more

South Carolina at Duke, 8:40 PM ET
S Carolina: 1-7 ATS after failing to cover 4 or 5 of their last 6 against the spread
Duke: 6-0 ATS in road games after scoring 75 points or more 4 straight games

Michigan at Louisville, 12:10 PM ET
Michigan: 12-4 OVER after a game with 5 or less offensive rebounds
Louisville: 0-7 ATS in road games after failing to cover 4 or 5 of their last 6 against the spread

Wichita State at Kentucky, 2:40 PM ET
Wichita St: 13-4 ATS after covering 6 or 7 of their last 8 against the spread
Kentucky: 11-4 UNDER after having won 15 or more of their last 20 games

USC at Baylor, 7:45 PM ET
USC: 19-9 ATS in non-conference games
Baylor: 2-10 ATS after playing 3 consecutive games as favorite

Michigan State at Kansas, 5:15 PM ET
Michigan St: 19-7 ATS after a game giving up 5 or less offensive rebounds
Kansas: 2-10 ATS after a game where they covered the spread

Rhode Island at Oregon, 7:10 PM ET
Rhode Island: 17-32 ATS after successfully covering the spread in 3 or more consecutive games
Oregon: 15-6 ATS after having won 2 of their last 3 games

Cincinnati at UCLA, 9:40 PM ET
Cincinnati: 21-8 UNDER in road games after playing a game as favorite
UCLA: 0-6 ATS after having won 2 of their last 3

Oakland at Richmond, 7:30 PM ET
Oakland: 10-2 ATS as a road underdog or pick
Richmond: 3-11 ATS in home games in non-conference games

TCU at Iowa, 5:00 PM ET
TCU: 1-10 ATS in road games off a home win
Iowa: 8-1 ATS in home games after playing a game as a home favorite

Idaho at Texas State, 6:00 PM ET
Idaho: 8-1 ATS after having won 3 of their last 4 games
Texas St: 2-4 ATS after having won 4 of their last 5 games

**Udog** · 03-19-2017, 08:45 AM

NCAAB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Sunday, March 19

Since 2010, Louisville is 4-0 SU/ATS in 2nd round games, winning by 3-26-15-13 points. Cards split their last six games overall; they won 1st round game by 15, even though Jax State made 10-19 on arc. Michigan made 16-29 on arc in 92-91 win over Oklahoma St Friday; they used four starters 38:00+. Wolverines are 11-3 outside Big 14; they lost by 3 at home to Va Tech in only game vs an ACC opponent this season. Louisville beat Michigan 82-76 in national title game four years ago. Last eight years, 2-seeds are 14-12 vs spread when favored in 2nd round.

USC is on roll this week, beating Providence/SMU by total of 5 points; they’ve won 13 games this year in which they trailed by 10+ points at some point in game. Play-in winners who then won their first round game are 3-3 SU in 2nd round games, but two of those wins came vs double-digit seeds after bracket-buster upsets- play-in winners are 2-1 vs spread as a dog in this round. Baylor is 6-6 in its last 12 games after starting season 20-1; Bears are 12-0 outside Big X; they beat Oregon of Pac-12 by 17 in November. Trojans won five of last six games overall.

North Carolina is 13-2 outside ACC this year, losing to Indiana/Kentucky; Tar Heels had easy time Friday- since ’07, UNC is 6-3 vs spread in 2nd round games, losing back/back to Kansas/Iowa St in ’13/’14- they beat Arkansas 87-78 in 2nd round two years ago, forcing 21 turnovers while going 29-37 on foul line. Arkansas won nine of last 11 games; they were only 3-7 on arc vs Seton Hall- they forced turnovers on 20%+ of possessions in last three games. Last seven years, #1 seeds are 17-11 vs spread in second round games, with five SU losses.

Over last six years, 3-seeds are just 6-5 SU vs 11-seeds in 2nd round games. During same time, 3-seeds are 8-8 vs spread as 2nd-round favorites, whether playing 6 or 11-seed. Oregon got almost no resistance from Iona Friday; Ducks beat Arizona St by 1-23 points this year- ASU is coached by Bobby Hurley, brother of URI coach Dan Hurley. Oregon is without its best shot blocker Boucher. Rhode Island won its last nine games; they were 28-31 on foul line Friday; they start two juniors, two seniors. Rams are just 9-4 outside the Atlantic 14 this season.

Three years ago, Wichita State got to NCAA’s unbeaten, but lost by hoop to Kentucky in second round of tournament; players are different, coaches the same here. Shockers won last 16 games; they’re 2-4 vs top 50 teams this year, with both wins over Illinois St. Kentucky won its last dozen games; they start three freshmen, Shockers start three juniors, no seniors. Both teams lost to Louisville this year; Wichita beat LSU of SEC by 30. Since ’09, 2-seeds are 15-12 vs spread in second round games. ’09 was last time all four 2-seeds made it to the Sweet 16.

Duke won its last six 2nd round games, covering four of last five; they made 13-28 on arc against Troy. South Carolina is #8 in country defending arc (30.1%), #4 at forcing turnovers (24.6%). Gamecocks beat Syracuse by 14 on neutral court, lost to Clemson by 2 in its two ACC games. Blue Devils beat Florida by 10 in only SEC game this year- they don’t go on road much out of conference, but this game is in Greenville, SC and Gamecocks should have crowd edge. South Carolina has two senior guards leading an inexperienced group- this is big stage for them.

Cincinnati plays pace #327, UCLA pace #13; Bearcats are better on offense than they’ve been in recent years (#102 eFG% this year, #199 LY)- they have athletes to match up with Bruins, who have #1 eFG% in country. Since ’08, favorites are 10-4 vs spread in 3-6 seed 2nd round games; this is only second one of those in last three years. Cincy won eight of last nine games; their opponents average 0:18.2/possession, #324; if UCLA has the ball 0:18/possession in this game, they won’t win. Bruins’ average possession on offense is 0:14.4 (#6).

Arizona won nine of last ten games; they lost to Gonzaga by 7 in December on neutral floor, a team St Mary’s lost to three times this year. Sean Miller won/covered all four 2nd round games with Wildcats, with wins by 1-23-23-15 points. St Mary’s beat Stanford by 15 in their only Pac-12 game; this is game where both teams play slow pace- Gaels #350 (2nd-lowest in country), Arizona #273). Gaels got to foul line 39 times in win over VCU Friday. Arizona is #5 team in height, St Mary’s #75. Pac-12 teams are 6-4 vs spread this season when playing a WCC team.

**Udog** · 03-19-2017, 08:48 AM

NCAAB

Sunday, March 19

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trend Report
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

12:00 PM
BELMONT vs. GEORGIA TECH
Belmont is 11-1 SU in its last 12 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Georgia Tech's last 5 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Georgia Tech's last 6 games

12:10 PM
MICHIGAN vs. LOUISVILLE
No trends available
Louisville is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games
Louisville is 13-5 SU in its last 18 games

2:40 PM
WICHITA STATE vs. KENTUCKY
No trends available
Kentucky is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
Kentucky is 6-13-1 ATS in its last 20 games

5:00 PM
TCU vs. IOWA
The total has gone OVER in 4 of TCU's last 5 games on the road
TCU is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Iowa is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Iowa's last 9 games at home

5:15 PM
MICHIGAN STATE vs. KANSAS
No trends available
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Kansas's last 5 games when playing Michigan State
Kansas is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games when playing Michigan State

6:10 PM
ARKANSAS vs. NORTH CAROLINA
No trends available
North Carolina is 6-2-1 ATS in its last 9 games
North Carolina is 16-4 SU in its last 20 games

7:10 PM
RHODE ISLAND vs. OREGON
No trends available
Oregon is 16-5-1 ATS in its last 22 games
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Oregon's last 8 games

7:30 PM
OAKLAND vs. RICHMOND
Oakland is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Richmond is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Richmond's last 6 games at home

7:45 PM
USC vs. BAYLOR
No trends available
Baylor is 18-7 SU in its last 25 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Baylor's last 5 games

8:40 PM
SOUTH CAROLINA vs. DUKE
No trends available
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Duke's last 6 games
Duke is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games

9:40 PM
CINCINNATI vs. UCLA
No trends available
UCLA is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games
UCLA is 11-1 SU in its last 12 games

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Udog** · 03-19-2017, 08:57 AM

NCAAB

Sunday, March 19

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sunday's NCAA Tournament betting preview: Midwest Region
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Two of the country's most successful programs meet in the second round when Kansas takes on Michigan State. The No. 1 seed Jayhawks are 8-point faves.

(7) Michigan Wolverines vs. (2) Louisville Cardinals (-3, 142)

Game to be played at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Indiana

Second-seeded Louisville and No. 7 seed Michigan will renew their NCAA Tournament hostilities when they meet in the second round of the Midwest regional in Indianapolis, IN on Sunday. The Cardinals downed Jacksonville State 78-63 in the first round while Michigan held on to beat Oklahoma State 92-91 on Friday to set up a rematch of the classic 2013 National Championship game, which Louisville won 82-76.

"It will be the toughest second round matchup I've had since I've been in the business," Louisville coach Rick Pitino told reporters. "Michigan is on a great run right now and I think it will be a heck of a game." The Cardinals won the battle of the boards 36-23 and forced 14 turnovers to finally pull away from the Gamecocks to earn their fifth consecutive opening round victory in the NCAA Tournament. Michigan has won six consecutive games, including five in a row since its charter plane skidded off the runway en route to the Big Ten Tournament in Washington D.C. The Wolverines set an NCAA Tournament program record with 16 3-pointers, including 11 from beyond the arc in the second half, to vanquish the Cowboys and hope to continue their hot shooting by beating Louisville for the first time in program history.

TV: 12:10 p.m. ET, CBS

LINE HISTORY: Louisville hit the board as slight 1-point faves against red-hot Michigan, but bettors are like the Cardinals here, moving the line to -3. The total opened at 140 and has been bet up slightly to 140.5.

ABOUT MICHIGAN: Senior point guard Derrick Walton Jr. led the way with 26 points, 11 assists and five rebounds in the win against Oklahoma State to notch his fifth double double of the season, and became the first player since Dwyane Wade in 2003 to register at least 25 points, 10 assists and five rebounds in an NCAA Tournament game. D.J. Wilson added 19 points, five rebounds and four blocked shots while Muhammad-Ali Abdur Rahkman and Zak Irvin each scored 16 points. "I think the Big Ten Tournament really got us ready for this," Wilson told reporters. "I didn't feel any pressure at all and it felt like a normal game for me."

ABOUT LOUISVILLE: Senior power forward Mangok Mathiang matched his career high with 18 points to go along with five rebounds in the win against Jacksonville State. Sophomore forward Deng Adel scored 16 points in his first NCAA Tournament appearance after the Cardinals missed last season's tournament due to a postseason ban while Quentin Snider added 16 points and five assists against the Gamecocks. Donovan Mitchell shrugged off a 3-for-15 performance from the field in his first tournament appearance by grabbing a career-high 10 rebounds as Louisville finished with 16 offensive boards.

TRENDS:

* Michigan is 6-1 ATS in its last seven neutral site games.
* Louisville is 7-1-1 ATS in its last nine games vs. Big Ten opponents.
* Over is 5-0 in Michigan's last five non-conference games.
* Under is 6-1-1 in Louisville's last eight non-conference games.

(9) Michigan State Spartans vs. (1) Kansas Jayhawks (-8, 148)

Game to be played at BOK Center, Tulsa, Oklahoma

Two of the most successful programs in college basketball meet Sunday when top-seeded Kansas takes on ninth seed Michigan State in the second round of the Midwest Regional in Tulsa, Ok. Kansas can reach the Sweet Sixteen for the 30th time in its history after rolling past UC Davis 100-62 in the first round while the freshman-heavy Spartans produced one of their best efforts in a 78-58 win over Miami (Fla.) on Friday.

Michigan State, hampered by injuries much of the season, shot 56.6 percent from the field and rallied from an early double-digit deficit to give itself a chance at a 20th trip to the Sweet Sixteen and fifth in six years. “The only thing I’m happy about is I get to work another night,” Spartans coach Tom Izzo, who is 47-18 in the NCAA Tournament, told reporters. “. … And I wanted a shot at Kansas.” The Jayhawks washed away the memory of a disappointing performance in a loss to TCU at the Big 12 quarterfinals by getting back to basics on the defensive end of the floor Friday. “We locked in as a team,” Kansas senior guard Frank Mason III told reporters. “We talked about it up to (Friday) that we have to guard like it’s the last possession in a tie game. We did a good job of defending.”

TV: 5:15 p.m. ET, CBS

LINE HISTORY: Oddsmakers opened the No. 1 seed Jayhawks as 8.5-point chalk, but after the Spartans big game in the first round, bettors have brought the line down to Kansas -8. The total hit the board at 147.5 and has been bet up a half-point to the current number of 148.

ABOUT MICHIGAN STATE: It’s been a building process for the young Spartans and Izzo told reporters he hopes their performance Friday will lead to more: “Do they have a benchmark now to say ‘hey we did this, we did that?’ I think the answer was, yes. I can’t think of anybody who didn’t play well.” Freshman swingman Miles Bridges (16.7 points, 8.3 rebounds) and freshman forward Nick Ward (13.9, 6.6) combined for 37 points and 16 boards in the win over Miami. Joshua Langford also scored 13 and fellow freshman guard Cassius Winston had seven points and five assists Friday.

ABOUT KANSAS: Second-leading scorer Josh Jackson showed no ill-effects after returning from a one-game team suspension for off-court issues, as the freshman scored 17 on 8-of-12 shooting with seven rebounds Friday. Mason leads the team overall (20.8 points, 5.2 assists) while Jackson (13.2 points, 7.2 boards) and junior guard Devonte’ Graham (13.2) are the other double-figure scorers for the productive Jayhawks offense. Senior forward Landen Lucas produced a double-double (13 points, 11 rebounds) in the opening round and 6-8 junior Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk (9.8 points) scored 16 against UC Davis.

TRENDS:

* Michigan State is 5-2 ATS in its last seven NCAA Tournament games.
* Kansas is 4-1 ATS in its last five NCAA Tournament games.
* Over is 4-0 in Michigan State's last four NCAA Tournament games.
* Under is 4-0 in Kansas' last four games versus a team with a winning SU record.

(11) Rhode Island Rams vs. (3) Oregon Ducks (-5, 139.5)

Game to be played at Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, California

Oregon’s imposing frontline figured to take a step back without injured forward Chris Boucher, but the Ducks’ first-round win over Iona may have eased some of those fears. The third-seeded Ducks look to build on the impressive victory Sunday in a second-round Midwest Region matchup against No. 11 seed Rhode Island in Sacramento.

Several players have stepped up in Boucher’s absence, including sophomore guard Tyler Dorsey, who scored a season-high 24 points on 9-of-13 shooting in Friday’s 93-77 win over No. 14 seed Iona. Dorsey is averaging 22.8 points on 60 percent shooting over his last four games for the Ducks, who will be without Boucher for the rest of the season after the 6-11 senior suffered a torn ACL in last week's Pac-12 tournament. Oregon dominated the paint against the smaller Gaels but face a tougher test against Rhode Island, which led from start to finish in Friday’s 84-72 upset of No. 6 seed Creighton. “Rhode Island is a very good basketball team,” Creighton coach Greg McDermott told reporters. “That's a top-25 basketball team that on the right night can beat anybody in this tournament.”

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, TBS

LINE HISTORY: The Ducks hit the board as 4.5-point favorites and they have been bet up slightly to the current number of -5. The total opened at 138.5 and has moved up one point to sit at the current number of 139.5.

ABOUT RHODE ISLAND: Freshman guard Jeff Dowtin scored a career-high 23 points against Creighton and senior forward Kuran Iverson added 17 as the Rams recorded their ninth straight victory and first in the NCAA Tournament since 1998. Forward Hassan Martin registered a double-double and helped limit Creighton big man Justin Patton to eight points on 3-of-12 shooting. Junior guard E.C. Matthews averages 14.9 points to lead the Rams, who finished tied for third in the Atlantic 10 Conference regular season but earned an automatic bid after winning three games in three days in Pittsburgh.

ABOUT OREGON: Junior forward Kavell Bigby-Williams is filling Boucher’s role off the bench and had six rebounds in 15 minutes against Iona, but even more encouraging was the play of guards Payton Pritchard and Casey Benson, who combined for 25 points after struggling in the Pac-12 tournament. Forward Dillon Brooks, the Pac-12 player of the year, scored 18 points in the first round and is shooting 48.3 percent over his last two games. Boucher’s absence has placed a greater burden on forward Jordan Bell, who was named the Pac-12 defensive player of the year after leading the league with 72 blocks and will need to avoid foul trouble against the Rams.

TRENDS:

* Rhode Island is 4-0 ATS in its last four games overall.
* Oregon is 9-3 ATS in its last 12 NCAA Tournament games.
* Over is 4-1 in Rhode Island's last five games overall.
* Over is 5-1 in Oregon's last six games overall.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Udog** · 03-19-2017, 08:58 AM

NCAAB

Sunday, March 19

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sunday's NCAA Tournament betting preview: South Region
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Will Lonzo Ball and the country's best offense be slowed down by the stingy Cincinnati defense? UCLA is currently a 4-point fave.

(10) Wichita State Shockers vs. (2) Kentucky Wildcats (-4.5, 153.5)

Game to be played at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Indiana

Wichita State paid the price in the NCAA Tournament four seasons ago when it faced an under-seeded squad in Kentucky, which promptly ended the Shockers' run at history at 35-1. While the faces may have changed and the expectations - based on their seeding in this Tournament - almost are opposite of what they were in their 2014 meeting, much feels the same between the teams as they prepare to square off again Sunday in South Region second-round action in Indianapolis.

The Wildcats, who rode a No. 8 seed to the championship game in 2013-14, sent then-No. 1 seed Wichita State home in the Round of 32 when Fred VanVleet missed a potential game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer, stopping the Shockers' bid to become the first team since Indiana in 1975-76 to finish a season undefeated. None of the 17 players who participated in Kentucky's 78-76 victory that day will be around to take part in the second act, although this time it will be the second-seeded Wildcats playing the role of favorite over 10th-seeded Wichita State. The Shockers extended their winning streak to 16 games with Friday's 64-58 first-round win over Dayton, holding the Flyers to season lows in points and field-goal percentage (31 percent). The Wildcats earned their 12th straight victory in Friday's nightcap in Indianapolis, upending Northern Kentucky 79-70 on the strength of 15 points and a career-high 18 rebounds by 6-10 freshman Edrice Adebayo.

TV: 2:40 p.m. ET, CBS

LINE HISTORY: Oddsmakers opened Kentucky as 3.5-point favorites and they have been bet up to the current number of -4.5. The total hit the board at 153.5

ABOUT WICHITA STATE: In addition to owning far and away the Missouri Valley Conference's top scoring offense (81.5 points), the Shockers boast the conference's top marks in field-goal percentage defense (37.6 - fourth in the nation), 3-point percentage defense (30.9 - 17th) and rebounding margin (plus-9.2 - third). Leading scorers Markis McDuffie (11.7 points) and freshman guard Landry Shamet (11.2) shot a combined 4-of-17 against Dayton but received plenty of help from Zach Brown (12 points, 3-of-3 from beyond the arc) and Rashard Kelly (eight, career-high 11 rebounds). Shamet has connected on a 3-pointer in 24 consecutive games and made a freshman school-record 70 on the season, while Conner Frankamp has recorded at least one in 21 straight contests and leads the team with 71.

ABOUT KENTUCKY: Adebayo (13.3 points, team-high 8.1 boards), whose 18 rebounds were the most by a Wildcat in an NCAA Tournament game since Jerry Bird grabbed 24 in 1956, is averaging 13.8 points and 10.5 boards during Kentucky's winning streak. Leading scorer Malik Monk (team-high 20.2 points) continued to struggle to find his range Friday with a 3-of-11 effort, including 0-of-6 from beyond the arc, leaving the sharpshooter 3-of-21 from long range and averaging 11.4 points over his last five contests. Fellow freshman De’Aaron Fox (16.2 points, 4.8 assists) led the Wildcats in scoring Friday for the fourth time in as many games with 19 points and is averaging 20.8 on 56.5-percent shooting during Monk's slump.

TRENDS:

* Wichita State is 6-1 ATS in its last seven games as an underdog.
* Kentucky is 1-4 ATS in its last five NCAA Tournament games.
* Under is 4-0 in Wichita State's last four games overall.
* Under is 7-1 in Kentucky's last eight games overall.

(8) Arkansas Razorbacks vs. (1) North Carolina Tar Heels (-10.5, 162)

Game to be played at Bon Secours Wellness Arena, Greenville, South Carolina

North Carolina has unfinished business in the NCAA Tournament, but the next step for the top-seeded Tar Heels is Sunday's encounter with eighth-seeded Arkansas in Greenville, S.C. The Razorbacks advanced to the second round in the South Region with a close win over Seton Hall, while the Tar Heels cruised in their tournament opener.

Justin Jackson was the story for North Carolina on Friday, posting 21 points on 8-of-13 shooting (5-of-8 from the arc) in a much-needed performance for the ACC Player of the Year. The junior had shot 7-of-31 from the arc during a four-game shooting slump and also pulled down seven rebounds in the Round of 64 - his highest total in two months. “Everybody panics when somebody is having an off day, multiple off days,” point guard Joel Berry II said after the 103-64 win against Texas Southern, “but that’s just part of the game. Sometimes it doesn’t go in for you and just seeing (Jackson’s) 3s go down tonight, it was pretty good. And I have confidence in him no matter what.” Arkansas received a combined 43 points from Moses Kingsley and Jaylen Barford in its 77-71 victory against Seton Hall and is eyeing its first Sweet 16 since 1996.

TV: 6:10 p.m. ET, TNT

LINE HISTORY: The Tar Heels hit the board as 9-point favorites, but that number didn't last long as North Carolina hit double digits and currently sits at -10.5. The total opened at a high 161.5 and has still moved up to the current number of 162.

ABOUT ARKANSAS: The Razorbacks are 0-8 all-time against No. 1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament, although they enter this weekend having won nine of their last 11 games and proved they can win despite getting outrebounded by 14 against Seton Hall. Five players combined to score all 77 points for Arkansas with Kingsley shooting 10-of-13 and Barford adding seven rebounds and four steals to go with his 20 points. Dustin Thomas gave the team a lift in the first round with 13 points - matching a season high - while Dusty Hannahs chipped in 14 points, scoring in double-digits for the 15th time in his last 16 games.

ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA: In their first NCAA Tournament game since losing the 2016 national title at the buzzer, the Tar Heels shot over 50 percent from the field and doubled up Texas Southern on the boards, 54-27, while overcoming a poor performance from their point guard. Berry shot 1-of-8 from the field and 1-of-6 from long range and has missed 10 of his 12 3-point attempts over the last two games, although he remains the team's best 3-point shooter (40.7 percent). Kennedy Meeks has increased his shooting percentage in five straight games, from 37.5 percent to 42.9 to 57.1 to 64.3 to 75 percent (3-of-4) as part of a 13-point effort in the Round of 64.

TRENDS:

* Arkansas is 2-8 ATS in its last 10 games versus ACC opponents.
* North Carolina is 5-1 ATS in its last six NCAA Tournament games.
* Under is 5-1 in Arkansas' last six non-conference games.
* Over is 5-0 in North Carolina's last five NCAA Tournament games.

(6) Cincinnati Bearcats vs. (3) UCLA Bruins (-4, 153)

Game to be played at Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, California

The top-scoring team in the country will take on one of the toughest to score against when third-seeded UCLA meets sixth-seeded Cincinnati in an East Region second round game Sunday evening at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento. The Bruins average a nation-leading 90.6 points a game following their 97-80 first round win Friday against Kent State, and the Bearcats are fifth in the NCAA in scoring defense (60.8) following their 75-61 win against Kansas State in the opening round.

Cincinnati also flashed its offensive capabilities in its win against Kansas State, shooting 62 percent from the field and owning a 34-22 advantage in the paint. That skill and determination on both ends of the floor could make them a legitimate threat against UCLA, which has shown flaws in its defense during the season, especially when guarding man-to-man. The Bruins will depend on freshman point guard Lonzo Ball to break through the Cincinnati defense, but his movement will be something to watch after he took a hard fall against Kent State after getting undercut while leaping for a pass in the post. UCLA has four players who average more than Cincinnati leading scorer Jacob Evans (13.5), but all the Bearcats' starters are capable of huge games, most recently senior guard Troy Caupain, who scored a season-high 23 points with seven rebounds in the win against Kansas State.

TV: 9:40 p.m. ET, TBS

LINE HISTORY: UCLA hit the board as 3-point favorites and have been bet up to the current number of -4. The total opened at 153 and has yet to move off that number.

ABOUT CINCINNATI: The Bearcats are the only No. 6 seed to survive to the second round, and they'll need a strong defensive effort and big offensive games from at least three of their starters if they hope to make it to the Sweet Sixteen. Evans, a 6-6 sophomore guard, should be ready to break out after being held to nine points against Kansas State and 10 in a loss to SMU in the American Athletic Conference tournament championship last weekend. Kyle Washington, the team's second-leading scorer at 13.1, and Gary Clark at 10.1, should have a big impact in this matchup as they'll hold down the front court against a longer UCLA team.

ABOUT UCLA: None of the current UCLA players likely remember when the Bruins knocked off the top-seeded Bearcats in double-overtime to reach the Sweet Sixteen in 2002, but the Bruins probably learned a lot about it during their off day. Like that day when Dan Gadzuric dominated the middle, Jason Kapono was sharp from outside and freshman point guard Cedric Bozeman ran the offense smoothly and efficiently, UCLA will need 6-10 freshman T.J. Leaf to be the best post player on both teams, Bryce Alford to shoot a high percentage from outside and Ball to distribute the ball well. A player the Bearcats may have trouble matching against is 7-foot forward Thomas Welch, who should find room to implement his dangerous mid-range game.

TRENDS:

* Cincinnati is 5-1 ATS in its last six games overall.
* UCLA is 0-4 ATS its last four games overall.
* Over is 3-0-1 in Cincinnati's last four games overall.
* Under is 5-1 in Bruins last 6 games following a SU win.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Udog** · 03-19-2017, 08:58 AM

NCAAB

Sunday, March 19

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sunday's NCAA Tournament betting preview: East Region
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It's no coincidence that Jayson Tatum and the Blue Devils are peaking at the same time. They're 5-0 SU/ATS since the start of the ACC tournament.

(11) USC Trojans vs. (3) Baylor Bears (-7, 143)

Game to be played at BOK Center, Tulsa, Oklahoma

Two teams that seem to save their best for last match up in the second round of the East Regional when No. 3 seed Baylor faces No. 11 seed USC on Sunday in Tulsa. The Bears rallied from a second-half deficit to win for the 12th time this season in their 91-73 first-round victory over New Mexico State, while the Trojans have been the feel-good story of the tournament so far, coming back from 17 down to defeat Providence, 75-71, in a First Four game on Wednesday night and then rallying from a 12-point second half deficit to edge sixth-seeded SMU, 66-65, on Friday afternoon.

It was the 13th time that USC had a double-digit comeback win this season, the most such victories in Division I. "Our players are amazing the way they come back," Trojans coach Andy Enfield said. "They get down, they come back. They keep playing for 40 minutes." Baylor, which suffered first-round exits to 14th-seeded Georgia State and 12th-seeded Yale the previous two years, avoided making NCAA Tourney history by losing as a top-five seed in the first round three consecutive years, rallying from a 42-38 deficit with a little over 19 minutes remaining to defeat the Aggies. "Yeah, for sure," All-American forward Johnathan Motley said when asked if the early exits served as extra motivation for his team. "No wants to leave the tournament early. Our ultimate goal was to come in and just win it, so we just want to take every game for what it is and make sure we come in and play our hardest, play desperate, because after this, you lose, you go home."

TV: 7:45 p.m. ET, truTV

LINE HISTORY: Oddsmakers opened the Bears as 6-point chalk and they have been bet to the current number of -7. The total hit the board at 143 and has yet to move off of that number.

ABOUT USC: Junior guard Elijah Stewart, one of four Trojans averaging in double figures (12.0), was the hero against SMU, sinking a 3-pointer with 37 seconds to play for what proved to be the game-winner. "I feel like I was blessed that I was able to come back and redeem myself," Stewart, who finished with 22 points, including 6-of-13 3-pointers, said referring to the fact he went scoreless in the First Four victory over Providence. Bennie Boatwright, a 6-10 sophomore forward, leads the team in scoring (15.1) while 6-11 Chimezie Metu (14.5) and junior point guard Jordan McLaughlin (13.2) also are averaging in double-digits with the long-armed, quick-leaping Metu also leading the team in rebounds (7.9) and blocks (1.6).

ABOUT BAYLOR: The 6-10 Motley, a Naismith Award semifinalist and the 16th All-American in school history, had his 14th double-double (15 points, 10 rebounds) of the season against New Mexico State despite sitting out a large chunk of the first half because of foul problems. He leads the team in scoring (17.3) and the Big 12 in rebounding (9.9) and is considered a potential NBA lottery pick. Junior point guard Manu Lecomte, the Big 12's Newcomer of the Year, is second in scoring (12.3) while also shooting a team best 41.7 percent from 3-point range while junior guard Al Freeman (10.2) came off the bench to score a season-high 21 points, including 3-of-3 3-pointers, in Friday's win.

TRENDS:

* USC is 5-1 ATS in its last six games overall.
* Baylor is 7-1 ATS in its last eight non-conference games.
* Under is 5-1 in USC's last six games overall.
* Over is 4-0-1 in Baylor's last five non-conference games.

(7) South Carolina Gamecocks vs. (2) Duke Blue Devils (-7.5, 142)

Game to be played at Bon Secours Wellness Arena, Greenville, South Carolina

Duke was considered one of the hottest teams in the nation entering the NCAA Tournament, while South Carolina slipped into the 68-team field despite a late-season swoon. The seventh-seeded Gamecocks came to life in a blowout first-round win, though, making for an intriguing matchup with the No. 2 seed Blue Devils in the second round of the East Region on Sunday in Greenville, S.C.

The Gamecocks were somewhat of an afterthought after losing five of their last seven leading up to the tournament, but they used a dominant second half to rout Marquette 93-73 on Friday for their first NCAA Tournament win since 1973. They also figure to have something of a home-court advantage playing at Bon Secours Wellness Arena, though the Blue Devils say they relish the thought of a hostile environment. "We like a game with noise," Duke guard Grayson Allen told reporters. "That brings energy. We like playing in buildings where it's loud. It gives everybody on the court energy." The Blue Devils had little trouble in their opening game, pounding Troy 87-65 and picking up where they left off in last week’s run through the ACC Tournament.

TV: 8:40 p.m. ET, TNT

LINE HISTORY: The Blue Devils hit the board favored by a converted touchdown and have been bet to the current number of -7.5. The total opened at 142 and has yet to move off that number.

ABOUT SOUTH CAROLINA: The Gamecocks don’t boast the bevy of offensive stars that Duke has, but they might have the most dynamic player on the court in SEC Player of the Year Sindarius Thornwell (21.3 points, 7.3 rebounds). Thornwell went off for 29 points and 11 rebounds against Marquette, and fellow guard PJ Dozier (13.9 points, 4.8 rebounds) put up 21 points. Guard Duane Notice (10.1 points) is the only other Gamecock who averages double-digit scoring, but South Carolina counts on its defense to create offense and turned 18 Marquette turnovers into 25 points.

ABOUT DUKE: Much of the Blue Devils’ inconsistency throughout the season was tied to injury woes, and Duke is undoubtedly among the nation’s most talented teams when healthy. Leading scorer Luke Kennard (19.8 points, 5.2 rebounds) managed just eight points on 3-of-12 shooting against Troy, yet the Blue Devils were never in danger thanks to 18 points and 12 rebounds from freshman star Jayson Tatum (16.9 points, 7.5 rebounds) and 21 points off the bench from Grayson Allen (14.3 points, 3.5 assists). Big man Amile Jefferson (10.8 points, 8.2 rebounds) also had a relatively quiet night Friday but could be a major factor against the Gamecocks.

TRENDS:

* South Carolina is 0-5 ATS in its last five games following a SU win.
* Duke is 5-0-1 ATS in its last six games overall.
* Under is 7-1 in South Carolina's last eight games versus ACC opponents.
* Under is 13-3 in Duke's last 16 non-conference games.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Announcement

Sunday's NCAAB Trends and Indexes - 3/19

Sunday's NCAAB Trends and Indexes - 3/19

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment